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Written by: Marko Kais, CFA | AGF Investments Artificial intelligence (AI) has been the dominant theme in equity markets throughout 2026. Investors have largely focused on the hyper-scalers and their enormous investments in AI infrastructure. Yet large-cap technology is only part of the story as AI is reshaping industries across sectors. This edition of AI in focus puts banks in the spotlight.

The qualities that make you a good Advisor may not be the qualities that make you different. There is a question every Advisor faces, and it may be the toughest and most important question we will ever have to answer. Every Advisor knows this is an important question, and every Advisor wants to give a compelling answer. They want to distinguish themselves. So what do we say? I care deeply about my clients. I’m a good listener. I take a personalized approach.

“Investing Myths Dismantled” is chapter 4 of a 5-part series examining the narratives around “investing for the long run.” Chapter 3 of this series, linked above, ended with a simple question. If the math so plainly says avoid big losses, respect valuations, and mind your timing, why does so much of the industry preach the opposite?

Written by: Christopher Gannatti, CFA Japan’s exit from deflation is accelerating governance reform, buybacks and shareholder returns, creating a strong backdrop for the WisdomTree Japan Opportunities Fund (OPPJ). AI infrastructure, defense spending and industrial renewal are positioning Japan’s economy for multi-year growth, giving OPPJ differentiated exposure to structural capex trends.

Thinking Outside the Tribe: How the Mind frees us from the fear of standing alone What camp do you reside in? Republican? Democrat? Lindsay Clancy sympathizer? Luigi Mangione apologist? You see, the world is vast, and it can feel lonely and even dangerous. There is a reason why, throughout history, humans have gravitated toward groups, into tribes. Tribalism has been a security blanket for the individual.

If you’re planning on driving anywhere this Labor Day weekend, be prepared to pay the highest gas prices ever for this time of year. The national average hit $4.14 per gallon on Thursday, an approximately 30% increase from last year, according to AAA. August was the first month in history where the national average never dipped below $4 on a given day. Diesel is worse. Truckers are now paying over $5.80 a gallon, a new record.

Shopify (SHOP) investors have been on a rollercoaster ride. Last October the stock surged to new all-time highs. Six months later it got cut in half. The reason? Artificial intelligence (AI). Investors feared AI would make it far easier for anyone to build an online store from scratch, weakening the need for platforms like Shopify. But at the very same time as investors were selling Shopify because of AI… traffic arriving at Shopify stores from AI tripled.

The most important business-building step is having a well-defined strategy, yet strategy is one of the most misunderstood concepts in professional services. It is an area that many advisory firms struggle with, and frequently find themselves without any clearly defined strategy for how they will achieve their business objectives. That is what “strategy” is of course: a clear idea of how one will compete and achieve an objective.

September Market Weakness: The Setup Has Teeth Market Brief & Technical Review From Lance’s Desk: AI Bears: Right About The Excess, May Be Wrong On The Trade – RIA Market stats, screens, and risk indicators This was a decently boring week that ended just about where it began. The S&P 500 closed Friday at 7,718.60, up a rounding-error 0.1% for the week; however, that flat headline hid a decently bumpy five sessions.

From a financial planning perspective, there is nothing magical that happens once an individual or couple breaches the $1,000,000 mark with respect to their gross income. There is no special million-dollar tax bracket, nor does the IRS suddenly hand you a different rulebook once the first seven-figure W-2 arrives. In fact, by the time someone earns $1 million in one calendar year, they have already crossed most of the income thresholds that materially affect their taxes.